Sometimes, a project simply demands that you do something the hard way (not the cheap way) and using a tool or piece of equipment in a way that God didn't intend it to be used... as is the case with burying a shipping container.  The sides weren't designed to take the constant weight and pressure, and the top surely can't support disbursed weight for extended periods of time.  That being said, if you simply must bury the container the safest way to do it is to used Gabion cages as external supports to carry the pressure of the compacted ground.

We take several questions a month from people interested in converting them into storm shelters and survival bunkers.  Overall, shipping containers make a very good building block for these types of projects for many reasons.  Shipping containers are designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, the interior can be modified to meet almost any type of project, and they're affordable and readily available almost anywhere you need them.

It's taken a long time, but cargo containers and modular housing seem to be joining forces.  Modular housing, prefabricated housing, or "kit homes" as they're sometimes called, have been around a lot longer than you'd think. Surprisingly, the first documented modular house was built in Australia in 1853. The trend gradually caught on and found it's way to England, then finally to the US to support the gold rush in 1908.

Converting a shipping container is sometimes called Cargotecture. The approach is increasingly becoming popular as many people are seeking an affordable way to build a house. In these tough economic times, a cargotecture is a worth investigating as you consider options to build a home. Also, converting a shipping container into a home is environmentally friendly.